blogging

I've just started reading A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, a writer, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest.  In her book, a teenaged Japanese girl has started writing in her diary, beginning with stories about her great grandmother, Jiko.

" This is a problem.  The only reason I can think of for writing Jiko's life story in this book is because I love her and want to remember her....

...And apart from me, who would care?  I mean, if I thought the world would want to know about old Jiko, I'd post her stories on a blog, but actually I stopped doing that a while ago.  It made me sad when I caught myself pretending that everybody out there in cyberspace cared about what I thought, when really nobody gives a shit. And then I multiplied that sad feeling by all the millions of people in their lonely little rooms, furiously writing and posting their lonely little pages that nobody has the time to read because they're all too busy writing and posting, it kind of broke my heart."

Well, that made me take a deep breath!  I flipped through the 'BlogFile' in my brain and realized, once again, that fromtheothersideofseventy is primarily a chance for me to write to myself, an occasion to focus more closely on my thoughts and feelings about life.  A place to post some of my favourite photos, many of our garden.  Since I haven't been in the studio for quite some time, my camera has become my artistic focus. When I look through its lens I seem to see more clearly-  certainly more selectively.

If someone reads my blog entries and looks at my photographs, that's a bonus.

the bug zoo

Last week's visit with our wonderful grandchildren was perfect!

Now that they are 5 and 8 3/4 they can play contentedly on their own, without the constant 'Nana, come play with me!'  'Gramps, come look!' Of course, we do play and look even without the refrain....

Our daughter and son-in-law had their first duo-vacation, sans kids, in 5 years.

One morning, we visited the amazing Bug Zoo on Courtney Street. A young man led an informal tour, taking various bugs from their enclosures, talking about them, and placing them carefully on the children's outstretched hands.  Leaf-chompers, stick bugs and the absolutely disgusting (to me!) black millipede.

Our guide said that big black eyebrows or a mustache could be made using the millipede. All but two of the gathered children simply held it on their hands, while Linden opted for the mustache! I watched only long enough to take a photograph as he tilted his head back to balance the shiny long beastie on his upper lip.

I thought this was the extent of my angst until....the tarantula....

Our guide took the spider from its cage and, while describing its habits, said that only adults could hold it.  I had, by this time, taken a full step backwards.  And then, quite clearly, I heard Linden's voice- "Nana, you hold it!'  Now, I'm okay around small, really small spiders, but when I see a big one it's 'Brian!  Quick! A Spider!.'  There I was, with both Linden and Stella watching me. I did what any self-respecting nana would do- I put out my hands to receive the Huge Furry Thing.  It walked on my outstretched palms as I held my breath.  Fortunately, I was soon released and the spider was returned to it's home.

It was the perfect time to leave the Bug Zoo.

While driving to the harbour to eat our picnic lunch, Stella reminded me that we needed to wash our hands first!

another glimpse of our garden

Tomorrow our grandkids arrive from Vancouver for 31/2 days.  The mattresses are arranged for Stella and Linden, side by side, on the den floor.  I'll be banished to my ipad and I must remember to move the phone and to take extra vitamins!

The Bug Zoo and the pickle boat to Fisherman's Wharf are on the agenda, with Willow's Beach taking centre stage.  Brian is gearing up to challenge Linden's soccer expertise in net.  We have a wee park across the street which is perfect--a mere yell away from dinner.

Before I go into 'nana mode' I'm going to add a few recent photos from our garden.

The little apple is a Fuji from our new esplalier tree- one of 6 varieties

                                  A sweetly scented honeysuckle


The following photos are of the stunning eucomis, a mix of 'Oakhurst' and 'Sparkling Beauty'.

notes to myself

These past several weeks have been very difficult for many of us.  While I never watch the news on television (this revulsion started when my children were very young and I didn't want them to be exposed to the brutality often on display), I can't seem to keep myself away from the internet and social media.

Rabbi Harry, the spiritual leader of Congregation Emanu-El, recently sent out a letter.  It began-  Dear Ones, First off I am recommending to all of us- and I fully include myself in this one- to limit our use of social media: it feels like it is only fueling anxiety and in some cases escalating the already over the top tension that exists. 

I make up 'rules' to allow me to disregard this advice..'No looking after 9 pm so my sleep isn't affected.'  'No spending more than 10 minutes at a time.'  'Not more than 2 articles.'

It isn't only the 'conflict' in Gaza, and the anti-semitism that has shown itself.  It's the frightening treatment of Christians being threatened and expelled in Iraq. It's Syria. It's the Ebola outbreak. It's poverty.  It's the feeling of helplessness that these events seem to cause me.

When I was in university in Boston in the early 60's, we sang and marched for integration and I taught for one day in a Freedom School where there were two teachers- one black and one white - working together with a classroom of children.  And, in the next few years, there were tremendous steps forward.  I also supported a woman's right to choose, and again, I saw positive change.

Somehow the challenges seem bigger today.  Perhaps it's because I have a daughter living in Israel, perhaps it's because I have grandchildren whose futures I wish to be safe and full of love, perhaps it's because of the constant barrage from the media.

What I can do is to be kind and peaceful and loving in my own life.  Kind to my whole self, my family, my neighbours and my loved ones around the globe.  Watch more carefully what I think and say.
First remembering to ask myself:
Is it kind?
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it better than silence?
                                                           

abstraction

I spent about an hour in the back garden last evening, taking 72 photographs! Having a digital camera gives me such freedom.  No longer do I need to pay to develop rolls and rolls of film, hoping for one or two successful images. And now, I can go out again this evening and take another series!


           These abstract designs are of brunnera macrophylla "Jack Frost'.

more notes from the garden

After my every-morning-the same wonderful summer breakfast of blueberries and raspberries with two overflowing spoonfuls of homemade almond butter sprinkled with hemp seed, I headed outdoors.

At 6:30 it was delightfully still: one man jogging and a lone woman with her white dog.

A few weeks ago, as the white creeping thyme in our front bed had finished flowering, we tried an experiment.  Brian trimmed about 1/5 of the bed with large clippers.  I'm not sure if it was because the blades were dull and therefore did a fair bit of tugging, or if perhaps we cut too much off.  Whatever the cause, I spent nearly an hour digging and pulling up their sad, dead remains.  Then I claimed some plants from the outside edge and tucked them in. Never mind that there is a hot sunny week ahead...  I certainly can't wait for an overcast few days!

                                    before and now photographs!    

Brian is out there whistling as he weeds along the deer-netting edge of another front bed. It's interesting- I garden in silence, unless I am talking to the plants personally, while he accompanies himself at all times.  I think Brian's beginning to understand how much work I've always done in the garden!  Now, with my body operating at less than full-gear, I am asking him ("please please today..") to take on some weeding chores. Now, if he'd only learn how to cook!

                                 Hakonechoa macra 'aureola'

    Here's a glimpse of a grouping of large containers in our back garden.

                                   Ginko biloba 'Troll'

the question

I spent over an hour last evening composing an entry for my blog, and then another 1/2 hour fine-tuning it.  The last paragraph read: "I'll sit on this entry overnight and decide if I'll post it in the morning. fromtheothersideofseventy is intended to follow my life and observations and, if that's the case, this will be on blogspot tomorrow.  After all, my life is not only about gardens, food and early morning sunrises."

Now, that is the question.

My blog has been about my daily life: walks, gardens. my health and sometimes an inspiring poem.  Politics is absent, appearing instead on my Facebook page and in conversations with family and friends.  So it seems that I've answered my own query.

I'm not going to 'publish'  last night's edited, spell-checked and well thought-out entry.  If you're curious about my opinions on current events, we'll need to have a conversation.  That's really the best way. Listening and discussing.